The Wire and Other HBO Series

Does anyone watch this? I love this show, I always heard about how good it was and finally watched a few eps..I'm hooked.

Anyone else watch this?

 

It's nice but seems a bit slow at times.

 

Best television series ever created.

It can be very slow at times, but that is what makes it more realistic. Life is always slow before it speeds up. Same as the show.

I felt like I lost kin when [someone] was murdered. No show has ever got my attention like "The Wire.

 

I've always heard about the show, but never really watched it. Until last night HBO was playing like 5 episodes in a row, I loved it. I'm gonna try to watch more of it.

 

I`m a huge fan of everything HBO. Movies, shows, documentaries, everything. The Wire however I never really watched.

 

Weird because when I went to bed last night this was on. I must have been in the middle of a season because I didn't have a clue what was going on.

But it was still tight.

 

You all need to start from Season 1, and watch it all in order. It's a visual novel; would you start a book in the final couple of chapters? There is no reason to watch it unless you watch it in order.

Anyway, yeah, this is the greatest show in history. Every underling, regardless of the institution they have chosen- drug dealers, police, politicians, the working class, and education system-- they all get f***ked by the higher-ups. You sympathize with some members of each of those aforementioned institutions, and some you can't stand. Good and evil is blurred, just like real life.

Next season, the media is the focus.

I could write ten pages on this stuff, but it would mean nothing. Just watch it, in order, from S1E1 to S4E13.

<div class="quote_poster">Iron Shiek Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Best television series ever created.

It can be very slow at times, but that is what makes it more realistic. Life is always slow before it speeds up. Same as the show.

I felt like I lost kin when [someone] was murdered. No show has ever got my attention like "The Wire.</div>
Could you take that outta your post, please, cuz it's spoiling the **** for anybody else who might give the series a chance?

 

I'll rent it and probably try to get through a season or two over the Christmas break. Always heard good things about it, now's the perfect time to give it a try.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Locke Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I'll rent it and probably try to get through a season or two over the Christmas break. Always heard good things about it, now's the perfect time to give it a try.</div>

If you like Season 1, be prepared for that storyline to be continued in Season 3 fully; Season 2 is a completely new storyline, but it is more relatable and tragic, I think: the death of the working class.

Just some of the writing staff is:
David Simon, novelist and police reporter for the Baltimore Sun
Ed Burns, former detective and school teacher. He locked up many people, and is still friends with many of them after they've been released. Many parts on the show are played by real-life cops, and real-life criminals that Ed Burns locked up.
George Pelacanos, renowned crime writer.

Okay I have to stop myself again before I shoot my wad.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">If you like Season 1, be prepared for that storyline to be continued in Season 3 fully; Season 2 is a completely new storyline, but it is more relatable and tragic</div>

That's confusing. What's the reason for it?

 

<div class="quote_poster">Kidd Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">That's confusing. What's the reason for it?</div>

Each season is a different theme.

1 - Drug War
2 - Middle Class (the drug war is only a small storyline in this one)
3 - Political Reform (drug war is of course a big part of this season)
4 - Education

Season 1 is very straightforward, with only one storyline. Season 2 juggles multiple ones, as well as Season 3 and 4. Season 1 prepares you for watching a complex show, then takes it up a notch in the subsequent seasons.

It's just, people get engrossed in the Barksdale storyline from Season 1, but Season 2 is a radical shift away from that, and people are sometimes caught off-guard by this. It comes back in Season 3. I can't tell you much more without spoilers.

If the show was exclusively about the drug war, it'd be repetitive. Each season is a different story.

So you guys know, in 2002, Season 1 of the Wire received #1 spot on the best shows of the year. In 2004, Season 3 received the #1 spot, and this year, 2006, Season 4 received the #1 spot. Oh yeah, Season 2 got the #2 spot in 2003.

 

You know what Chuck, I watched the first episode and I have to say it looks promising. Really love some of the camera work, and the storyline is very intriguing.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Locke Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">You know what Chuck, I watched the first episode and I have to say it looks promising. Really love some of the camera work, and the storyline is very intriguing.</div>

Keep in mind, that is the absolute worst episode of it there is. Season 1 can be a little slow moving at times, but just keep with it, it's the most rewarding show. Big payoffs, little and big surprises. Season 1 is great, but it's easily the worst (rather, least best) season of The Wire.

I love the cinematography too. That opening shot with the blood showing the flashing police lights is great. That opening scene about Snot Boogie is a true story-- it's mentioned in the first chapter of Homicide by David Simon. "Got to, this America man"

 

<div class="quote_poster">TheBlackMamba Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">You really feel it was the worst season? For me, it was season two. I just couldn't get into it. It was too slow, it just didn't draw me in. Outside of season 2, I would agree that season 1 is the least best out of all of them.

I'd rank them 4, 3, 1, 2. How about you?</div>
3, 4, 2, 1

I've watched each season at least 4 times, and it took a lot of deliberation to come up with that order.

Season 2 I hated on the first watching, but after re-watching it, going into it realizing that it was going to be a brand new story, I really loved it. You're right, it started slow, but after about Episode 6, **** hit the fan. I find the slow murder of the working class to be a lot more relatable than Season 1. Besides 4, I think 2 was the most depressing season.

Season 1 is pretty slow-moving too. "Worst" is a bad term for what I think of Season 1, because I still think it's a great season, better than most TV. It will always be the season that got me hooked into the Wire initially, and plenty of classic moments.



I'm going to try to avoid spoilers in this thread, and I think we all should try, since this thread should be get some new fans involved.

Is there a spoiler tag here?
<span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>BALLSACK</span>
<font color="white">BALLSACK</font>

*******
Highlight for spoilers
<font color="white">THIS WORKS THE BEST</font>
*******

 

<div class="quote_poster">TheBlackMamba Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">The one thing I hate about the Wire, actually all of HBO, they think they can charge you $100 for a season because it's HBO. It's ridiculous. I borrowed season 1, went 50/50 on season two with a friend (it was on sale for $60), and downloaded both 3 and 4.

I would re-watch season two, but my friend has it, and he loaned it to who the hell knows. Maybe I'll give that season another shot and download it.</div>

Oh, no doubt. I only own 1 DVD from HBO (Deadwood Season 1).

But I've got all of Six Feet Under, most of Sopranos, and The Wire downloaded.

HBO On Demand is great too.

Amazon.com has the cheapest prices for HBO DVDs. They used to have Wire Season 1, 2, and 3 for about $130-$140 TOTAL.
[derail]
BTW-- Amazon.com has Rescue Me Season 1 and 2 for by one get the other free, if you're interested. Around $35 total. Don't know how long it will last. I already own Season 2 so it doesn't do me any good.

Go to Amazon.com > click the DVDs in the discount section > then go to Buy One TV DVD, Get One Free
Buy any two DVDs from either of these lists of TV shows from the 1960s to the 1980s and TV shows from the '90s and beyond, and get one DVD free at checkout. Free DVD must be of equal or lesser value.[/derail]

 

<div class="quote_poster">TheBlackMamba Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I've got both seasons of Rescue Me. Awhile back, Best Buy had that same deal on them and I picked them up.

I find Amazon to be the best place for box sets. Although, right now Best Buy has every single season of 24 on sale for $19.99. I've picked up two copies of season 5, gave one out as a birthday gift and the other out as a day late Christmas gift.

How is 6 Feet Under? Can you brief me on it?

Maybe I'll change the title of this thread to HBO Shows?</div>
Six Feet Under is pretty great. I'd say it's my 3rd favorite HBO show. I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, though.

It's basically a smart soap opera. It just happens to have a lot about death, in addition to sex, life, relationships.

It's a dark comedy written by the man who wrote American Beauty. The Fisher Family live in and run a funeral home. Each show opens with a death related to the episode (i.e. the deceased they'll be working on). They're often funny, often tragic. I'd say watching the first season and after that deciding whether or not you feel it warrants watching any more is the best move. Seasons 3 and 4 can be very boring and quite absurd, whereas 1, 2, and 5 are really compelling.

You have to be able to get over the fact that you'll see men making out in almost every episode, and you've gotta be able to become engrossed by the storyline of gay lovers. I say that because it is what put me off from the show the first time I ever watched it, and made me not watch it for years. They are my favorite characters now, though.

It's realistic in the sense that you'll love a character, then hate them the next minute. Every single person is flawed, no morally elevated bull**** characters.

If you like dark comedies I'd say give it a shot. I really can't do justice to the show with words because it's so unique. I made friends watch it after pestering them for months, as they proclaimed "I don't want to watch this, because I know it's going to be awful." That's how I felt about the show too, before watching it, but just like I did, they became hooked quickly.